Kidde Recalls nearly 38 million Fire Extinguishers

December 6, 2017 11:26 AM

The Galesburg Fire Department wants citizens to be aware that Kidde, the world’s largest manufacturer of fire safety products, has recalled 37.8 million fire extinguishers that may not work because of a faulty handle, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced.

According to the Kidde Company website, the fire extinguishers can become clogged or require excessive force to discharge and can fail to activate during a fire emergency. In addition, the nozzle can detach with enough force to pose an impact hazard. The massive recall involves 134 models of Kidde fire extinguishers manufactured between Jan. 1, 1973 and Aug. 15, 2017. It includes extinguishers that had been previously recalled as well.

Kidde says it is aware of one death from a 2014 car fire, 16 injuries and 91 reports of property damage related to the recall. In all, there have been 391 reports of one of the company's fire extinguishers either failing to activate or doing so with limited functionality.

Residents should immediately contact Kidde to request a free replacement fire extinguisher and for instructions on returning the recalled unit, as it may not work properly in a fire emergency. Note:This recall includes fire extinguisher models that were previously recalled in March 2009 and February 2015.

Kidde branded fire extinguishers included in these previously announced recalls should also be replaced. All affected model numbers are listed online at www.kidde.com. Go to the website and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. You can also call Kidde toll-free at 855/271-0773 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.